Wheel device for moving picnic tables



March 26,- 1968 P. F. O'DAY I WHEEL DEVICE FOR MOVING PICNIC TABLES Filed May 5, 1966 FLcaS INVENTOR.

onxww o OO O M w M United States Patent 3,375,019 WHEEL DEVICE FOR MOVING PICNIC TABLES Patrick F. ODay, P.O. Box 867, Bridgeport, Wash. 98813 Filed May 5, 1966, Ser. No. 548,364 Claims. '(Cl. 280-4732) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a device for moving picnic tables, and more particularly to vertically adjustable Wheel and bracket assemblies which, when attached in pairs to a picnic table, will render the table readily transportable by a single operator.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device which will render a picnic table transportable by the actions of a single individual.

It is another object to provide a wheel device easily attachable to a picnic table which may be adjusted vertically to transfer the weight of the table from the legs thereof to said wheel device.

It is still another object to provide a bracket assembly to mount said wheel device on said table which may be easily engaged or disengaged by a single operator, and which will not scratch or dent the surface of said table during the transportation thereof.

These and other objects will become readily apparent from the following description wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a pair of the wheel devices of this invention mounted on a conventional picnic table whereby a single operator may transport the table;

FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the wheel device of this invention showing the bracket locking mechanism engaged, and, in phantom view, disengaged; and

FIG. 3 depicts a partially cut away side view of the wheel device, showing the threaded bracket locking device.

Referring directly to the drawings, a standard picnic table, 1, is too large for a single man to move easily. However, by attaching a wheel device, 2, as in this invention to each of the integral seats, 3, the table can be easily moved if the height of the device is such that the weight of the table is transferred from the legs thereof to the wheels, 4.

The device of this invention includes a'wheel, 4, and axle, 5, having threads at each end so that nuts, 6, may secure said axle to two upright pieces, 7. Each piece, 7, has a series of uniform holes, 8, for attachment to the bracket assembly, 9.

The bracket assembly, 9, consists of a lower channel member 10, having a notch, 11, at the end of a leg thereof, an internal lining of rubber, 12, and a set of parallel holes, 13, at the other end of the leg thereof. The assembly further includes an upper channel member, 14, an eye bolt, 15, pivotally mounted to said lower channel member, two downwardly extending pieces, 16, an internally threaded, T-shaped member, 17, threadedly mounted on said eye bolt, and a handle, 18.

The downwardly extending pieces, 16, have uniformly spaced holes, 8, whereby said pieces, 16, can be bolted to the upright pieces, 7. The particular holes by which the pieces are secured govern the overall height of the wheel device lending vertical adjustability. The downwardly extending pieces, 16, are welded to the lower face of said lower channel member, 10.

The upper channel member, 14, has a notch, 11, in a leg thereof corresponding with the notch, 11, on the lower channel member, 10. The upper channel member, 14, is internally lined with rubber, 12, and may have several sets of holes, 13', in the other leg thereof corresponding to the two holes, 13, in the lower channel memher, 10, whereby said upper and lower channel members may be secured by bolts, 19, and by choosing the proper holes the distance between the opposing faces of the horizontal channel members, 10 and 14 may be regulated to correspond to the thickness of the seat, 3.

The handle, 18, is welded to the upper face of said upper channel member, 14, to facilitate transportation of the wheel device when not mounted on a table.

To operate the wheel device, bolts, 20, are adjusted to raise the upper face of the horizontal leg of the lower channel member, 10, to a desired height above the seat, 3, of a picnic table 1. The wheel device is then mounted on the seat so that the seat, 3, occupies the area between the upper face of the lower channel, 10, and the lower face of the upper channel, 14.

The wheel device is then secured to the table seat by pivoting the eye bolt, 15, into the notch, 11, in the upper channel member, 14, and rotating the threadedly mounted T, 17, in the engaged position of FIG. 2 until it is firmly seated.

A second wheel device is secured to the opposite seat of the table in the above described manner, and the table may then be pulled or pushed about by a single oper-' ator.

The hereinabove described device may be constructed with A inch steel plates and channels, and an 8 inch wheel together with the above described bolts, nuts, T, and handle. It must be understood that the wheel device for moving picnic tables herein described is subject to various modifications within the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A wheel device for moving picnic tables comprising:

(a) a vertically adjustable, elongated clamp;

(b) a clamp locking member secured to said clamp;

(c) a vertically adjustable support secured at an end thereof to said clamp and extending downwardly therefrom; and

(d) a wheel rotatably mounted on said support at an end opposite said clamp, said wheel disposed so that the axis of rotation thereof is parallel to the long axis of said clamp member.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the clamp member comprises upper and lower jaws and a vertically adjustable divider separating said jaws.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the opposing faces of said upper and lower jaws are lined with a protective, padding material.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said clamp locking member comprises:

(a) an eye bolt pivotally mounted on said clamp at an end thereof opposed to the bight portion of said clamp; and

(b) means for drawing the jaws of said clamp together threadedly mounted on said eye bolt and registering with the jaw of said clamp opposed to the jaw carrying said pivotally mounted eye bolt.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising an external handle secured to said clamp member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,248,299 7/ 1941 Harrison 24-248 2,424,641 7/1947 Swanson 280 -44 2,709,084 5/1955 Nagaishi 280-47.32 2,722,971 11/1955 Gallagher et al 297157 2,834,608 5/1958 Wixson 280-- 3,170,708 2/1965 Miller 28047.32 3,180,654 4/1965 Westfall 280--30 3,217,478 11/1965 De Geere 280-150 3,337,228 8/1967 Shulkin 28047.27

KENNETH H. BETTS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WHEEL DEVICE FOR MOVING PICNIC TABLES COMPRISING: (A) A VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE, ELONGATED CLAMP; (B) A CLAMP LOCKING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID CLAMP; (C) A VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT SECURED TO AN END THEREOF TO SAID CLAMP AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM; AND (D) A WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AT AN END OPPOSITE SAID CLAMP, SAID WHEEL DISPOSED SO THAT THE AXIS OF ROTATION THEREOF IS PARALLEL TO THE LONG AXIS OF SAID CLAMP MEMBER. 